Fighting the War

1. Fighting the War

2. Early Defeats • Long Island, New York-August 27,1776-10,000 –man American Army faces 20,000 British soldiers. Patriots are badly beaten in this battle and other battles around NYC • By October of that year, British control New York City • British force Washington’s army to retreat, (move away from the enemy) across the Hudson River, and New Jersey. • Many begin to question Washington’s leadership. Thomas Paine would write, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” • Animated Map for Battle of New York

3. Strengths and Weaknesses Of British Army Strengths Weaknesses Thousands of miles from home Transporting troops, supplies took time Underestimated the Americans time and time again Primarily fighting for a paycheck • A large well-trained army • A powerful navy • Could hire mercenaries to help fight (Hessians from Germany) • Had plenty of supplies • Well educated leaders

4. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Continental Army Strengths Weaknesses Short enlistment period. Small force throughout the war No real Navy Not well trained Lacked the most basic of supplies • Home field advantage • Could recruit troops easily • France as an ally • George Washington as leader • Fighting for homes, families, and Freedom!

5. Supporting The war • Robert Morris loaned the new government $10,000 for gunpowder, food and supplies. • He devised a system to smuggle war supplies from France a year before independence was declared. • Morris personally paid £1,000,000 (about $114 million pounds today) to pay the Continental troops under Washington. This helped to keep the Army together . • Morris also personally supplied the funding for 80% of all bullets fired during the war and almost 75% of all other expenses for the new government, though he also never asked to be reimbursed for these expenses.

6. Women Aid the War Effort • Mercy Otis Warren wrote a history of the American Revolution and Phillis Wheatley wrote poems about freedom. Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams, supported the Revolution through her letters. • Other women traveled to military camps where they cooked meals, cooked or cared for wounded soldiers. Martha Washington followed her husband to many camps. • Women also took over the jobs and businesses of men who joined the war.

7. Women on the Battlefield • Sybil Luddington- the “female Paul Revere” was only 16 years old when she rode to warn colonists of a British attack on Danbury, Connecticut. • Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a man to join the army. • Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley- also known as a “Molly Pitcher” carried water to thirsty soldiers during battle. When her husband was wounded at the Battle of Monmouth, NJ, she took his place his place at the cannon.

8. African Americans • Free African Americans were encouraged to join the war. About 5,000 served in the colonists served with the Continental Army. • Rhode Island’s African American soldiers formed their own unit in 1777, called the First Rhode Island Regiment. They fought in the final battle of the Revolution, a victory over the British at Yorktown, Virginia.

9. Wartime Shortages • Most Americans lacked food and clothing during the war. Items such as cloth, kettles, and tools had been made in British factories- and trade was cut off when fighting began. • Some shortages were caused by hoarding, or hiding away goods. Flour, molasses, & manufactured items were hard to get-which raised their price. • Many farmers and merchants became rich by profiteering, or charging high prices for goods they hoarded. • Congress had some paper money called “Continentals” which were backed by gold. As prices rose, the printed money dropped in value, leading to inflation, a large and rapid rise in prices. The money became devalued and nearly worthless. Anything useless began to be said, “not worth a Continental”

10. Things are Looking bad! Many soldiers start to desert (run away from) the Continental Army * Discouraged over battle losses *Lack of supplies *Bad weather General Washington needs a plan to give the Americans hope. He will cross the Delaware River on Christmas night and make a surprise attack the Hessian soldiers in Trenton, NJ.

11. SURPRISE! • At 4 am Patriots finally crossed the river and began the march to Trenton. They arrived by 8 am and surprised the Hessians who quickly surrendered. The Hessians had not expected an attack during such bad weather conditions • A little over a week later, the Patriots defeated the British at Princeton, NJ and captured needed supplies. • These successes made more soldiers enlist and strengthened hope among those who had remained. Video- Battle of Trenton

12. The Turning Point-Saratoga • Turning Point- An event that causes an important change. • British General John Burgoyne led troops from Canada into New York. He expected more British from the south to helping him trap General Horatio Gates and his American troops. He hoped to cut off the New England colonies from the rest. • No help arrived and Burgoyne’s supplies were stuck in the heavily forested region. • This allowed Americans time to get more soldiers, and build walls at Bemis Heights near Saratoga. While the British gained control of nearby Freeman’s Farm, they lost many more soldiers. When they tried to attack a few weeks later, they had no chance against the Americans and had to surrender. • The Battle of Saratoga

13. Help From Europe • Victory at Saratoga was a turning point because the French gained enough confidence to begin to support the American military. They had already sent supplies, but now they would send soldiers, and warships. • Signed the Treaty of Alliance, an agreement to work together to defeat the British. • 19-year old Marquis de Lafayette arrived to help. He soon became close friends with George Washington and would prove invaluable to the war. • Spain also agreed to send help. • Thaddeus Kosciuszko, an engineer from Poland, arrived to help build forts.

14. Valley Forge • Washington’s army camped at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The British were nearby and this was a strategic location to keep an eye on them. • Few men had shoes, blankets or tents. • There was little food, except “firecakes” a paste of flour and water. • Diseases like flu, smallpox and typhoid killed over 2,500. • Even though there were many desertions, Washington’s men would not agree to have him replaced as their leader. Valley Forge

15. Time to Train the Troops • Baron Friedrich von Steuben arrived in Valley Forge from the German kingdom of Prussia. • He was shocked that the American army had no real professional military training. • He started with a model company of 100 men who would be taught, and would later train other soldiers in basic military skills and behavior. • His instruction on how to use a bayonet correctly would prove valuable when during the Battle of Stoney Point, when Americans won by leading a bayonet charge with unloaded muskets. • He set standards of sanitation and tent layouts which improved health and morale.

16. The beginning of Our Navy • John Paul Jones was America’s first well-known Naval fighter,and is sometimes called the Father of the American Navy. • He volunteered early in the war and made with daring raids along the British coast. • His most famous victory was of BonhommeRichard over Serapis. After the Bonhomme Richard began taking on water and fires broke out on board, the British commander asked Jones if he had “struck his flag.” (ready to surrender), Jones replied, "I have not yet begun to fight!" In the end, it was the British commander who surrendered.

17. War in the South • Britain hoped to win the war in the largely Loyalist southern colonies. • They were off to a good start with wins in the battles at Savannah, Georgia and Charles Town and Camden, SC. • This was part of their strategy to bring Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia back under royal control. The British encouraged Loyalists to fight against the Americans, but failed to get the response they had anticipated. • The Battle of Kings Mountain and the Battle of Cowpens caused Lord Cornwallis to pull troops from South Carolina and move them farther north.These conflicts were significant because it became evident that the American colonists in the South would not back the British.

18. When a Win Doesn’t Seem Like a Win • . The British, under the command of Lord Cornwallis, won the Battle of Guilford Courthouse but their loss was so great that another victory of the same kind would have destroyed the British army. The casualties that Cornwallis took at the Battle Guilford Courthouse were the final straw in a series of setbacks. Lord Cornwallis abandoned the Carolinas and marched for Virginia. • In the meantime, Spain joined as a ally and blocked British supply ships from ports in New Orleans.

19. Battle of Yorktown • Summer-1781, Cornwallis stationed his troops in Yorktown Virginia to fortify the area and wait for supply ships from New York. • Cornwallis own servant, James Armistead, acted as a spy for the Patriots, and shared this news with Lafayette, who sent word to the French navy. A blockade of warships prevented the British supply ships from reaching Cornwallis. • At the same time, Washington’s army and a large French force joined Lafayette. Their combined force of 16,000 men surrounded the British and pounded them with continuous cannon fire. • Cornwallis tried to flee, but a storm helped stop their escape and they had no choice but surrender to Washington. Battle of Yorktown

20. Surrender and Treaty of Paris of 1783 • Cornwallis tried to flee, but a storm helped stop their escape and they had no choice but surrender to Washington. Cornwallis would not surrender in person, but sent his sword. • The British government began peace talks with France, Spain and the Americans in Paris, France. The Treaty of Parish of 1783 ended the American Revolution. • Britain recognized American independence. The Mississippi River became the new nation’s western border, and opened up trade for all countries along the river. • The 13 colonies were now known as the United States. • Washington would write, through every possible suffering and discouragement for the space of eight years long, was little short of a standing miracle.”

21. Review –Major Battles of The American Revolution • Major Battles of the Revolution – YouTube • BrainPOP | American Revolution Complete Quiz after viewing

22. Vocabulary Review • Patriots- An American who supported the Revolution • Loyalist- A colonist who supported Great Britain • Mercenary-A soldier from another country who is paid for their service • Profiteering-charging higher prices for hoarded goods • Inflation-a large and rapid rise in prices • Desert-to run away • Treaty of Alliance- agreement to work together. (France entered into an alliance with America) • Blockade-action that prevents the passage of people or supplies • Treaty of Paris of 1783- agreement that ended the American Revolution.

23. Results of the War • About 60,000 Loyalists were in America when the war ended. Many had been forced to give up their homes and businesses during the fighting. Many would move to Canada, back to Britain, or to the western frontier. Many would try to fit into the new society. • Indians, who had sided with the British in order to protect their lands, were seen as enemies, and Americans felt no guilt about taking their land. • Despite the wording in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal”, the new American government needed the support of the Southern plantation owners and slavery continued in America.